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Reef grief in Maldives

Corals in the Maldives face white-out this year – 60 per cent are bleached because of global warming and exceptionally high sea temperatures triggered by the El NiÑo weather cycle. In some areas, up to 90 per cent of corals are affected, a new survey has found.

Baffling star

The mystery deepens. A star called KIC 8462852 flickers so erratically that some speculate that only an “alien megastructure” can explain its behaviour. A further look showed it has been fading for a century. But fresh analysis suggests the star has also dimmed more rapidly over the past four years – adding to the enigma.

Medals over morals

Russia has been banned from competing in next month’s Paralympics after evidence of a state-sponsored doping programme. “The anti-doping system in Russia is broken, corrupted and entirely compromised,” said Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee. Russia is to appeal the decision.

Not Yutu!

The moon just got a little more lonely. Last week China announced that its lunar rover Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, has finally stopped operating after 31 months on the surface. Over 100 scientific papers have been published using data from the rover, including the discovery of a layer of lava flows no one had spotted before.

Earth overshoot day

We’ve already eaten up our annual supply of Earth’s renewable resources, according to the Global Footprint Network. The date by which we “overshoot” by consuming more than the planet can produce in a year keeps getting earlier. Carbon emissions are the fastest growing contributor to ecological overshoot.